The best things to do in Chicago this weekend

Need a break from the monotonous sights of winter in Chicago? Head to the North Shore for the Chicago Botanic Garden's annual orchid show, where there are more than 10,000 vibrant blooms on display to brighten your day. This year's show is inspired by the '60s and '70s—marvel at floor-to-ceiling sunbeams made of cascading orchids and get lost in a 10-foot lava lamp aglow with colorful blooms. Swing by on Saturdays and Sundays to shop for orchids of your own in a pop-up marketplace, or stay late on select Thursday and Friday nights to have a cocktail and fried goat cheese during Orchids After Hours.

Talking Heads frontman, Broadway innovator and all-around creative polymath David Byrne is once again blurring the line between art and science, this time in the middle of downtown Chicago. “Theater of the Mind” is Byrne’s latest experiment in perception, identity and theatrical immersion—and it’s happening inside a real office space. Created with writer and philanthropist Mala Gaonkar, the 15,000-square-foot experience invites audiences of just 16 at a time to explore a series of rooms designed to mess with your senses and make you question, well, yourself.

Immerse yourself in a new perspective on legendary artist Henri Matisse at this exciting new exhibition at The Art Institute of Chicago. Bedridden and unable to paint in the 1940s, Matisse turned to a new, more accessible medium: cut paper. Mining his memories of circuses, world travels, folktales and concerts in Parisian music halls, he produced a series of 20 maquettes that will be on display for the public to enjoy.

The annual Shamrock Shuffle takes place at Grant Park, sending thousands of green-clad participants on an 8K run, two-mile walk or one-mile race through the Loop. As usual, anyone who signs up will get a festive shirt and knit hat, a bib number to display, a finisher's medal and a drink ticket to use at the post-race party.

Get ready to pick your bracket—and your poison. Starting Sunday, March 15, Recess is merging Chicago’s most infamous spirit with the city’s favorite spring sports tradition. Malört Madness is a high-stakes cocktail playoff featuring eight unique, Malört-based creations battling for the championship title. Follow the bracket as we narrow down the field every Thursday and Sunday. Grab a drink, cast your vote at the bar, and watch the winners advance.

This immersive planetarium show pairs cosmic visuals with The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. Each of the album’s 10 tracks is accompanied by a different visual sequence, blending futuristic imagery with nods to the band’s iconic visual history. Designed with input from longtime Pink Floyd collaborator Aubrey Powell, the show transforms the dome into a fully immersive audiovisual experience. Tickets are sold separately from general museum admission.

West Town hosts its own Restaurant Week March 21–29, featuring special discounts and prix fixe menus at participating businesses. You’ll be able to enjoy a complimentary glass of wine with eligible purchase at All Together Now; a cheeseburger, fries and a Toki Highball for $20 at Golden Years, four courses for $60 at Brasero and much more. Check out the full lineup here.

Winter is almost over and the Garfield Park Conservatory is here to usher in warmer days with its annual Spring Flower Show. Make a reservation to explore this year's theme, "Showers of Flowers," which celebrates the vertical possibilities of plant life by way of 80+ aerial displays. You'll find spring favorites like tulips, cymbidium orchids, snapdragons, azaleas, hydrangea and more. 

How are some of the most iconic costumes of the past century made? Costume designer Paul Tazewell pulls back the curtain in this behind-the-scenes exhibition. Highlights include costumes from Wicked, Janelle Monáe’s MET Gala looks and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. Sketches, videos and narration reveal how imagination becomes wearable art.

Every local thrifter worth one's salt knows that Vintage House Chicago is a treasure trove holding some of the city's best secondhand scores. The bimonthly vintage and handmade market showcases local makers and curators at rotating venues throughout the city. Each market features a new lineup, so you can plan on finding something new every time.

Ready to explore Chicago's amazing architecture while floating on the river? The Chicago Architecture Foundation Center River Cruise takes place aboard a Chicago’s First Lady boat, transporting guests on a 90-minute tour that traverses three branches of the Chicago River and explores the stories behind more than 50 buildings that make up the city's iconic skyline.

Just because Chicago Restaurant Week has ended doesn’t mean there aren’t still deals to be found. Andersonville celebrates its diverse and dynamic dining scene with special prix fixe menus at some of the neighborhood’s top eateries for lunch or dinner from March 15–29. Participating spots include Big Jones, Minyoli, Tanoshii, Uvae, Anteprima and more.

The Museum of Contemporary Photography celebrates its 50th anniversary with a sweeping look at its collection. Each of the museum's five galleries will represent a decade of collecting, beginning with its most recent acquisitions (2016-2026) in the first gallery, then rewinding through time. The retrospective features rarely exhibited and newly acquired works by influential photographers including Dorothea Lange, Harry Callahan and Robert Frank.

What happened to the sun? In a gray, sunless city, two stray cats named Kitty and Tom are about to find out. When a trade for some “magic” beans leads to a magnificent beanstalk, these siblings must climb to new heights to confront a sun-stealing giant. Join the Lifeline Theatre for this world premiere musical adventure—a magical experience for kids 4+ and the families who love them.

This family-friendly exhibition explores six habitats—Desert, Ocean, Rainforest, Sky, Woods and City—through the eyes of modernist artist Charley Harper. Designed to foster appreciation for biodiversity and interdependence, the exhibit includes interactive games, a DIY soundscape station and multisensory interpretations of Harper’s beloved work.

Just when you thought the state's largest mall couldn't surprise you anymore, Woodfield Mall announces WONDRA, a sprawling new immersive experience. Inside, you’ll wander through enchanted meadows that respond to the sound of your voice, stumble across bioluminescent landscapes and drift into crystal caves and celestial gardens that blur the line between digital spectacle and raw wonder. 

A spot on the pine bleachers at Drip Collective has become one of the most coveted seats in the city, thanks to the cafe's adventurous beverage menu (hello, mango sticky rice matcha latte!) and hyper-local event programming. Aside from piping hot coffee, Drip has been bringing a different kind of heat this summer with Hot Drip Sessions, a weekends-only DJ pop-up. Can't make it to West Loop? Drip Collective has been uploading past Hot Drip Sessions onto their YouTube channel. Dive into the archive here. 

With soundstage-sized pieces like horned sculptures emitting soap bubbles, inflated spheres bedecked in abstract squiggles and surreal faceless figures hovering in space, “EmotionAir” reimagines the humble balloon as any other artistic medium—a conduit for creativity and emotion. 

Shop 'til you drop along Lakeview's Southport Corridor and Paulina Hub while enjoying tasty coffee and food samples. Participating businesses include Bitter Pops, Candyality, Alice & Wonder and more. Proceeds from the event benefit Friends of Lakeview, a nonprofit organization that works to enhance public spaces and infrastructure throughout the neighborhood.

You’ve probably seen a Shakespeare play before, but never like this. Five professional actors come together for each performance of Drunk Shakespeare. The twist? One of them has had five shots before the show and is trying to stay on track while the other four actors do their best to hold the performance together.

The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center's newest exhibition, “Paris in Black” charts the journeys of Black artists, performers and intellectuals who found a safe haven and creative incubator in 20th century Paris. Experience the City of Lights through the eyes of visionaries like Langston Hughes, James Baldwin and Henry Ossawa Tanner, who lived and created in defiance of American racism. The exhibition houses over 100 objects, including magnificent paintings, historic photographs and multimedia elements—all telling the story of Black resilience and artistry.

While the history of Chicago is often told through its architecture and industry, a vital chapter has long remained in the shadows. The National Museum of Mexican Art is bringing that history to the forefront with “Rieles y Raíces” (Tracks and Roots). Over a century ago, the first wave of Mexican immigrants arrived in Chicago, many directly recruited by the very railroad companies that transformed the city into a global hub. Yet, despite their essential role, the stories of these traqueros (railroad workers) have often been overlooked by history books—until now.

Known for his groundbreaking homes spanning across the United States and rejection of minimalist conventions, Bruce Goff—whose lifelong mentor was Frank Lloyd Wright—is one of the modern world's most celebrated architects. To celebrate his legacy, The Art Institute of Chicago will be hosting the first major exhibition of Goff’s work in 30 years. The show will feature more than 200 works celebrating every phase of Goff's creative practice, from elaborate architectural drawings and models to a selection of Goff's lesser-known artistic output in abstract painting.

The newly renovated Intuit Art Museum is the perfect place to visit the exhibition, “Catalyst: Im/migration and Self-Taught Art in Chicago.” This exhibition is part of a citywide initiative highlighting Chicago's artistic heritage and creative communities. “Catalyst” focuses on the impact of immigration and migrant experiences within the self-taught artist community. The featured works investigate the inciting incidents for artists' displacement and subsequent settling in Chicago, offering a unique perspective on artistic practice as a personal narrative.

Multimedia artist Yoonshin Park challenges conventional ideas of what books are—and what they can be. Prompt and Prompted presents new and ongoing works that reimagine artist books as spatial, symbolic and participatory sites, engaging ideas of memory, marginality, translation and transformation.

Head to 360 Chicago on Saturdays for yoga with a killer view. Instructor Britta Eumann will lead an hour-long class on the 94th floor of 875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly the John Hancock Center) that’s suitable for all ages and skill levels—you just need to bring your own mat and arrived properly dressed. Registration is $55 and includes a cocktail or coffee, plus admission to the observation deck so you can stick around and snap some photos after you're done striking poses on the mat.

For more than 30 years, the Neo-Futurists have been delighting late-night crowds with performances that pack 30 miniature plays into a 60-minute show. The company's signature show is more unpredictable than ever these days, with a handful of compact new plays premiering every week. Within the span of 10 minutes, you may be treated to a poignant monologue about everyday life or an irreverent diatribe delivered by a pantsless member of the cast—all inspired by the experiences of the performers on stage. Always changing and evolving, it's the rare show that truly offers something different everytime you show up to see it.

This weekly “live magazine” is a cavalcade of culture, politics and wit featuring journalists, actors, comedians and musicians offering idiosyncratic reports on the news of the day. Head to Uptown’s iconic Green Mill for drinks, hot takes and laughs; the longstanding Saturday afternoon edition tends to run about two and a half hours.

DePaul Art Museum will be unfortunately closing this June, and they're going out with some of their finest curatorial work yet. Since the 1960s, Barbara Nessim has built a distinctive visual language that challenges traditional ideas about femininity and representation. One of the first women to gain prominence in the male-dominated world of commercial illustration, Nessim later became a pioneer of computer art in the 1980s. This exhibition—her first in Chicago—features paintings, drawings, digital works and a site-specific installation. It also highlights her famed sketchbooks, which the artist calls her “forever books,” a raw and unfiltered record of her creative process.